“7 Year Zig Zag” bills itself as “a film in rhyme and swing.” That’s not very promising. In fact, it sounds downright pretentious. Wrong.
While this film is moved by rhyme and swing, it comes across as natural as a free flowing stream. The story, which is all about lost love and chasing dreams while trying to do the right thing and not sell your soul to the pimp a*s devil, totally lends itself to Richard Green’s jazzy narration. As he explains the problems of finding his dream girl (Robin Banks) and getting two movies made, the symbolism hits you over the head, yet it still feels good. Punctuate that with a swing score, and you’ve got a movie worth watching … up until the end.
Throughout “7 Year …” there is a definite build-up. Riches and artistic dreams realized are just around the corner waiting for the one big break. If this were a Hollywood film, that’s how it would end. Instead, this is an independent production, which means it concludes on a more realistic note. Not that the ending is a total bummer; it just isn’t the big bang one was hoping for, and that’s what hurts.
If any movie should have a happy, spectacular finish — it’s this one. The entire first hour plus, filled with hardships and triumphs, propels viewers toward an ending they desperately want to see. To receive the climax given is almost like being slapped in the face by a good friend. We wanted more, we got less. It’s true to real life, but dreams and art aren’t about real life. They’re about doing something better, and that’s where “7 Year …” takes a wrong turn. It doesn’t sell its soul to the pimp a*s devil, but it doesn’t kick his behind, either.
